by Jefferey Jaxen﻿﻿﻿Health Impact News﻿﻿﻿Tribeca has come and gone in the minds of moviegoers hoping to see the documentary Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe. The machinations occurring around the film since it was pulled by co-founder Robert De Niro could fill a book. Harrowing twists, unexpected turns and victories for freedom of speech continue to dot the landscape wherever Vaxxed goes.Film festivals that pull the film from their lineup — for whatever reason(s) — risk loss of publicity, integrity and ticket sales. In addition, the new trend appears to also be public protest outside film festivals deciding to remove Vaxxed from their menu.Tribeca’s Vaxxed snub has become old news as the change.org petition to bring the film back to the festival fell just shy of 35,000 signatures. Tribeca’s total attendance for 2015 was 138,000 people. A quick calculation reveals that a potential 25 percent of the 12 day festival’s 2015 attendance was interested in just one film this year.Vaxxed is simultaneously serving as the antidote and the poison for freedom of speech within the U.S. The film is uncovering and giving a platform to those that wish to defend the first Amendment while providing a discussion around government and health corruption.At the same time, the film is also exposing deep bias within the mainstream media, government and the film industry in regard to pharmaceutical influence and censorship. The spotlight on compromised institutions stifling open discussion around the film and its message is serving to poison their integrity and trust within the public’s eye.Government Officials in Texas Threaten Theater to Prevent Vaxxed from ShowingThe latest additions to the conversation of censorship in the U.S. are the film festivals in Houston, Manhattan, Ocala and the Angelika theater chains in Plano and New York. After being pulled by the WorldFest-Houston International Film & Video Festival after Hunter Todd — the festival Chairman & Founding Director — reported that he received threatening calls from “high government officials.” Todd immediately sent a letter detailing the pressure to Philippe Diaz, Chairman of Cinema Libre who is distributing Vaxxed. Todd’s letter was released publicly by Diaz to allow discussion and action on the events happening behind the scenes:“…after very threatening calls late yesterday from high Houston Government officials – we had no choice but to drop the film” Todd’s letter went on to state that: “Heavy handed censorship, to say the least…they both threatened severe action against the festival if we showed it, so it is out. Their actions would have cost us more than $100,000 in grants.”

Amidst mounting public pressure, a statement was released to the press from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s office saying:The mayor asked that it be removed from the lineup. I believe Judge Emmett did the same. The film festival is being funded in part through a grant from the City of Houston. The mayor felt it inappropriate for the city to endorse an event that would be screening a film that is counter to the city’s efforts to ensure children receive vaccinations.After initial hesitation to get involved, Texans for Vaccine Choice........................